Dear Readers – I hope I brought some joy to 2 kiddos in need this Christmas! I spent $10 each for a couple of kids to get new shoes so they can wear them with pride, and comfort.
If you’ve read any of my past posts, you know how difficult it is to find shoes to fit my extra-wide feet, so how wonderful it was to find a charity that takes the time to measure and fit them!! YASSSSSS!!
Simply put, Shoes That Fit helps kids improve their self-esteem. How do we do this? By providing them with much-needed new shoes so that they can go to school in comfort and with dignity and focus on their studies rather than their circumstances.
First, we match sponsoring groups with nearby schools that have children in need. A sponsor can be any group of people; a business, school, church, civic organization or simply a group of caring friends. Next, a sponsoring group decides how many children they can help. Their chosen school identifies the children most in need of new shoes and then measures these students for proper size and fit with materials we provide.
Finally, the sponsoring group uses this information to buy exactly what each child needs and makes the much-appreciated delivery to the school. By using this model with every sponsoring group across America, volunteers are making a direct impact on the children in their own communities.
Specifically, I did the Nordy thing – was buying a gift card at the customer service counter and saw a Christmas tree with some different gift cards on it…they had children’s names on them, and OMG, you know I had to help! Seriously, I’m very moved by kids who would otherwise “do without” and I can’t bear the thought, so I asked the lovely man at the counter about the program. A $10 gift card buys a child in need a brand new pair of New Balance sneakers…so I bought two!
Wishing so much happiness to those children and their families this holiday season, and, for the rest of their lives…
I thought I’d pass along the deals to you in case you’re looking for fine designer clothing…
St. John, Herve Leger, Armani Collezioni, Roberto Cavalli, Akris Punto, Max Mara, Missoni, Altuzarra, Jason Wu, Donna Karan New York, J.W. Anderson, Fabiana Filippi, Escada, Michael Kors, Erdem, Christopher Kane, Oscar De La Renta, Nina Ricci, Marc Jacobs, Etro Gauzy, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Givenchy, Prada, Burberry, Phillip Lim, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jimmy Choo, Fendi, Pedro Garcia, Balenciaga Paris, Carvin, Moschino, eskandar, PASKAL, Isa Arfen, Mami, Etro, Giuseppe Zanotti, Emilio Pucci, Lanvin, Manolo Blahnik, Dolce&Gabbana, Rick Owens, Stella McCartney, Proenza Schouler, Saint Laurent, Alexander Wang…and of course, Nordstrom Signature brand items.
Have I mentioned/complained that I have EXTRA WIDE feet and can’t find decent looking shoes, like ever?
I’m sending my complaint out, if I haven’t already, that there aren’t that many cool-looking shoes out there for wide feet, and even less for extra wide.
My feet used to be “medium” until I had a baby. I didn’t gain much weight, but the body changes, and it made my feet “wide”. Even my hair got darker (but that’s another post). Since then, I spent many years on the phone doing IT tech support (that made my butt wider!), and more recently I’ve been a waitress, restaurant manager and a department store salesperson. My feet have pounded concrete, brick and marble floors until my foot bones and fat pads have stretched even wider, and now I have “extra wide” feet. It is what it is.
I’m now in the process of selling off my shoes. I have to do it so I can use those funds to buy shoes that do fit. I have a ton of shoes that I shouldn’t own anymore; I just can’t fit into them, but they’re barely worn. One cannot, and should not wear uncomfortable shoes, ever. I guess I was just hoping I could find a way to stretch them to make them work…? I don’t think anyone could stretch them wide enough – the integrity of the shoe would probably be compromised, and it would probably fall apart. But the good news is, barely worn shoes can be easily sold on Craigslist or on consignment!
I’ve found that ShoeBuy.com has a great selection of extra wide shoes. I can always find extra wides at Nordstrom and Zappos, so check there, too. And once you buy a pair of shoes from these places, if you get on their mailing lists (I know it seems annoying sometimes, but do it!), they’ll send you awesome coupons and codes so you can buy more shoes at great discount prices! And best of all, most do free shipping. Biggest tip – call in your order and tell the salesperson to make a note: PLEASE LEAVE PACKAGE AT THE APARTMENT OFFICE if you live in an apartment, or if you live in a house, have them put it someplace safe so the package isn’t left out for someone to steal. Just looking out for you 🙂
Wanted Person: Use Caution. Wanted in a “string”of ginger bread house invasions. Known to spread Christmas Cheer and a specialist in covert surveillance. Often seen hiding in high places. Do not approach and especially DO NOT touch as this is known to cause loss of magical abilities to report back to his jolly kingpin!
Barbour coats were first made for fisherman who traveled and sailed all over, and obviously didn’t want sopping wet clothes – wax is a great protector from that. Quality Egyptian cotton is used for the coats which will be later coated with Sylkoil to protect them from moisture. The waxed jackets are waterproof, and the Barbour company has been issued three Royal Warrants (it’s a big deal, Google it!). All the British royals own them, probably several of them, and they’re considered “English countryside” style.
But why in the world have Barbour jackets become so popular in the United States in the past few years, when the rest of the world has known about them for decades? America, you’re a bit slow on the uptake 😀
Better late than never, it’s time to get with the program and buy a very practical “coat for life” (see video below). Yes, a Barbour coat is an investment piece, but you’ll wear it often, others will want to borrow it, and you’ll hand it down later. You’ll end up having your picture taken in it – I mean selfies, group photos, family gatherings….somehow, that dang coat will end up in more photos than you planned. And then your friends and family will buy them. And then you’ll notice people wearing them while you’re out. And then you’ll notice them when you watch TV or see them in movies. And you’ll see them in magazines…
They’ve now become part of the world’s fabric, literally.
I’m not a Yuppie, Preppy, or Hipster, but I love my Beadnell, and I highly recommend getting any Barbour jacket – even women buy men’s Barbours, so don’t be afraid to go try one on. It’s waxy when you first get it, but the crunchy doesn’t last long. Give it time to “settle out”. You should know that the navy is a dark, “inky” navy and it’s almost black, so if you’re going to pair it with some blues to match, you’ll probably want to take it with you shopping.
Side note – the Beadnell waxed is a “convertible”. It comes to you as a basic jacket, but you can buy a hood that snaps on, made of the same material as the jacket (yes, it’s waxed!). Also, the hood has a light wire frame inside around the ‘face’ so it has a slight structure to it. You can also buy a “liner” to zip in, adding a second insulating layer inside for warmth. It’s basically a vest within the jacket, keeping your core warm. Barbour makes them color coordinated, but you don’t necessarily have to buy them to match. I bought all navy, and even though the liner doesn’t have a collar to speak of, I wear mine by itself with a scarf – you don’t need a collar if you wear a scarf.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed that plaid is everywhere, although really, it never goes out of fashion anyway. The plaid, or tartan, prints that Barbour use are legitimately Scottish, because the Barbour name itself is from Scotland. The Barbour family has, as is tradition, a Scottish tartan pattern associated with their name, and they use the varieties of their particular tartans for use on their jackets – novel, eh? So there’s a tribute to their heritage, and they take pride in the manufacture of their clothing. They’ve been in business for over 120 years, and members of the family have been running the company for all those years. Currently, Dame Margaret Barbour is the company’s Chairman (interesting fact, she married into the family!).
Barbour also makes quilted jackets, and they’re fleece-lined, and very cozy. My favorite of those is the Beadnell quilted (fancy that!). It’s a little longer than the waxed version, and it’s worn best if it’s ‘slim fitted’ against the body for warmth. In other words, you may not need to layer much underneath it because it’s quite warm. It has the lovely hand warmer pockets like the original Beadnell, which is literally “handy”. OK, I’ll stop…
Barbour started out outfitting men, so of course, they have a full line of gear, and a full line of accessories. They even have an edgy “moto” styled jacket line for men – a collaboration with the well-known British motorcycle brand Triumph has yielded a great collection. Have a pup who needs a coat? Barky’s needs can be well-suited here.
And I recommend Nordstrom for two reasons: 1) their rewards program, because you get money back when you spend money there, and 2) their return policy is amazing, 3) their salespeople are very knowledgeable about the wear and care, and if you need help matching clothes and accessories, just ask.
“HOUSTON (AP) — He usually has black hair and a black beard, sometimes just a mustache. Like Santa, he wears a hat — though often it’s a sombrero. He dons a serape or a poncho and, in one case, a red and black zoot suit. And he makes his grand entrance on lowriders or Harleys or led by a pack of burros instead of eight reindeer.
Amid all the talk about Santa Claus’ race, spawned by a Fox News commentator’s remarks that both Santa and Jesus were white, there is, in the Lone Star State, a Hispanic version of Santa in cities from the border to the plains — handing out gifts for low-income and at-risk children.
Born from the Chicano civil rights movement, Pancho Claus is a mostly Texas thing, historians say, though there may be one somewhere in California. Lorenzo Cano, a Mexican-American studies scholar at the University of Houston, says Pancho was apparently conceived north of the border as Mexican-Americans looked to “build a place and a space for themselves” in the 1970s. His rise coincided with a growing interest in Mexican art, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day and other cultural events.
Now, Pancho is an adored Christmas fixture in many Texas cities.”
Photo By HELEN L. MONTOYA/E-N/File
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Rudy Martinez, aka Pancho Claus, poses with Tamales
Photo By Nick de la Torre/CHRONICLE 32 of 37 Robert Smith, standing in Brown Plaza in Del Rio, may be the only non-Hispanic Pancho Claus in the state. He says tourists from the U.S. and Mexico like to pose with him.
Photo By Betsy Blaney/AP 33 of 37 In this Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, photo, Julian Perez stands in his Pancho Claus suit in Lubbock, Texas. The retired 71-year-old has donned the Pancho Claus suit for 30 years to hand out gifts for low-income and at-risk children.
Photo By Eric Gay/AP 34 of 37 In this Friday, Dec. 20, 2013, photo, Pancho Claus, Rudy Martinez, right, walks through the halls of Knowlton Elementary School as he visits students, in San Antonio. Pancho Claus, a Tex-Mex Santa borne from the Chicano civil rights movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is now an adored Christmas fixture in many Texas cities.
Remember my post last year about Lordnapping? Well, a GPS device embedded within our Lord shall track the sinful thief…I spy with my little eye, a guy who’s going to jail for Jesus…
Just a posting to let you know that I stand with Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson – and a brief explanation of why.
My bottom line is this: I don’t care, or want to know about, people’s sexuality. Which means, I don’t care if someone is gay or straight. I have plenty of other things to worry about in life other than what people said about homosexuality…that’s not about me, anyway. Yes, I know what the Bible says about it, but as a Christian, I find it entirely invasive to ask or talk to people about their sexuality, and I won’t answer questions about mine.
You may be a different flavor of Christian than I am. You won’t get an argument outta me for that reason alone. Even if you’re not a Christian, think how you’d like.
The show “Duck Dynasty” is realllllly funny, IMHO, so I’d watch it regardless of the family’s religious beliefs.
There’s a hugely supportive Facebook page that someone started:
The A&E channel who produces the “Duck Dynasty” show is allowed to suspend anyone they want, but they’ve got to deal with the backlash. The Robertson family, if it wanted, could totally produce their own show – say whatever they want, do whatever they want – and still have a gazillion viewers. A&E isn’t needed at this point.
So…my support is for free speech. Phil Robertson did nothing illegal, and he’s entitled to his own opinion.
My name is Steve Davies and welcome to my personal genealogy blog! Created to update and communicate with family members on all the effort I put into learning more about our shared ancestor history.
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